Animal trap



A. H. GILKEY ANIMAL TRAP Sept. 18,1928.

Filed Sept. 22, 1926 Patented Sept. 18, 1928.

UNITED (STATES PATEN AUGUSTINE H, GILKEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOTS.

ANIMAL TRAP.

Application filed September 22, 1926. Serial No. 137,009.

My invention relates to animal traps and has among its other objects the product-ion of devices of the kind described which are compact, convenient, durable, eflicient and satis' factory for use wherever found applicable. A particular object of the invention is to I provide an improved animal trap of simple and inexpensive construction.

A still further objectof the invention is to provide improved devices of the kind descrlbed wherein several animals may be.

trapped at one time. I Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given. 7 I Y v To this end my invention consists in the novel construction,arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims. r

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts: I s

Fig. 1 is a vertical central section taken through an animal trap embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1;-and I F ig.'3 is a section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown a preferred form of the invention embodied in an animal trap particularly adapted to be used for trapping rats and mice,but it is to be understood-that I. am limited to this use only to the extent indicatedin the appended claims. s

As shown in the drawing, the improved v 10, which may be made of any suitable material, such as sheet metal, or the equivalent, the

housing 10 preferablycomprising a bottom.

wall 11, side walls 12 and end walls 13 and 14. The top of the housing 10 is preferably closed by a removable cover '15 and I preferably provide a handle 16 secured to the end" wall 14 so that the trap may be readily carried from place to place.

enter the housing 10, the opening 18 being closed by a'closure member or gate 19 when one or more animals have been trapped within the housing. The plate 19 is formed integral with or secured to a pair of levers 22 dis trap preferably comprises a cage or housing In the end wall 13 I preferably provide an opening 18 through which the animals may posed adjacent and extending parallel to the side walls 12. As best shown in Figs. 1 and 2,. the levers 22 are preferably provided with trunnions 23 intermediate their ends whereby they walls 12.

are pivotally mounted in the side Riveted, or otherwise secured to the levers 22, is a trough or receptacle 25 which is of less weight than the gate 19 so that the gate 19 will normally occupy the position wherein it is shown in full lines in Fig. 1. However,

when the trap is to be used, suflicient bait is placed in the receptacle 25 to cause it to gravitate into the position wherein it is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 so that the plate 19 will uncover the opening 18. The receptacle 25 may be of any suitable design but I preferably provide it with a plurality of apertures 27 through which animals that have entered the trap may consume the bait.

Projecting from the receptacle 25 is a member 29 provided with a notch 30, which is engageable by a. pivoted bail or latch member '32, the construction being suchthat when the receptacle 25 swings fromits lowermost position to the position wherein it isshown in full lines in Fig. 1, the latch member 32 will ride up upon a cam surface 34 provided upon the member 29 and drop into the notch 30 to prevent the basket 25, the plate 19'and the levers 22 from returning to the positions wherein they are shown in dot-ted lines in Fig. 1.

The cover 15 is preferably provided withan aperture 36 through which baitmay be placed inthe receptacle 25 and through which I the interior of the housing 10 may be viewed.

The aperture 36 is preferably providedwith a closure member 39 slidably secured to the cover by flanges 10 projecting from the closure member and arrangedjto engage slots 41 formed in the cover. The cover-15 is preferably provided with downwardly extending flanges 42 and 43 atthe aperture 36 to prevent bait from falling out ofthe receptacle 25 when the receptacle occupies the position wherein it' is shown in full lines in Fig. 1 and thetrap is set on end. or turned upside down. If desired, an apronor plate 45 may be secured to the flange 43 to function as a closure member for the apertures 27 when the receptacle is in its uppermost position. This 7 is advantageous as it-prevents the animals f5 or th m 'nd f the b 't m consumin e re a1 er 0 4 a1 after they have eaten sufficient thereof to cause the receptacle and tbe plate 1 9 to move into the position Whereinthey are shown in full lines in Fig. 1.

The operation of the above described apparatus is substantiall as follows: When the improved trap is to e used, sufiicientbait'is introduced into the receptacle 25 to cause it to gravitate into the position wherein it is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the plate 19 being simultaneously displaced to uncover the opening 18. The bait may beintroduced into the receptacle through the aperture 36 orthe cover may be removed, if it is sode sired. ,When one or more animals enterthe housing 10 through the aperture 18\ and consume a sufiicient amount of the bait, the plate 19 will overbalance the receptacle and theremainder of thebait and drop; into the position wherein it closes the opening 18. The animals willthen be trapped within the housing and described, or uses mentioned.

may be disposed ofinany preferredmannen Havin' thus described my invention, it is obvious t iat various immaterial modifications maybe made in, the same without depart ng from the spiritof my invention; hence I do through which animals may enter the enclosure, 0

ing mounted-toswingaround a pivotal-axis spaced from the opening, andbaithoIding means disposed on the other side of said pivotal axis and constrained to movewith said i closure means, saidfclosure means being of suficientweight to remain in its closed positionwhcn less than a predetermined Weight of bait is held by the bait holding means.

= 2. In an animal trap, the combination with an enclosure having an opening therein" through which animals may enter the trap, of a pivoted closure member for said opening, means for holding bait, means operatively connecting theclosure member with said bait fiholding means whereby the closure member 50 iscaused to move into its closed position when less than a predetermined quantity oibait is held by said bait holding means, and means t'or locking the closuremember in it closed position, f y i v a 3. In an animal-trap,thecombinationwith an enclosure having an opening therein through which animals may enter the en closure, of a closure member for said opening mounted to swing around a pivotal axis spaced from the opening, baitholding means disposed on the other side of said pivotalaxis and constrained to move with said closure i means, said closure means being of, sufiicient.

weight to remain in its closed position when. less than a predetermined weight of bait is f a closure members forsaid open held by the bait holding means, and means forlocking the closure member in its closed position. v

4. In an animal trap, the combination with an enclosure having an opening thereinthrough. which animals may enter the enclosure, of a lever pivotally mounted intermediate,its ends in the enclosure, a gate carried at one end of the lever for closing said opening,and bait holding means carried at theother end of said lever, said gate being heavier than saidibait' holding means to remain in a position wherein it closes said opening when the bait holding means is empty.

5.1 Inen animal trap, the combination'with an enclosure having an opening therein through which animals may enter sheenclosure, of a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends in the enclosure, .a' gate ear ried at one end of thelever for closing said opening, bait holdingmeans carried at the other end of said lever, said gate being heavier than said bait holding means to remain in a position whereinit closes said opening when the bait holding means isempty,iand"meuns for locking said gate in its closed position. a

6. 1mm animal trap, combination with an enclosure having an opening therein through which animals ,mayenter the enclosure, of a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its' ends in theenclosure, a gate carried at one end of'the lever for closing said opening, bait holding means carried atthe other end of said lever, said gate being heavier than said bait holding means to remain in aposition wherein it closes said opening when the bait holding means isempty, means for locking said gate in its closed position,l-Iand 1 means ne bai he bait holding means when the trap is inverted.

7 "In ananima-l trap, the combinationwith' an enclosure having an opening therein through wh ch animalsmay enter the eneloshrejof a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends inthe enclosure, agate carried at one end of the lever for closingvsaid opening, bait holding means carriedatthe other end of said lever, said gate being heavier than said bait holding means to remain in a position wherein itclosessa'id openingwhen the bait holding means is empty means for locking said gate in. its'closed .position md.

means for preventing animals in the trap from eating the bait when the i closure memberis in its closed position. 1

,8. In an animal; trap, e housinghavingan aperture in one (indeed in the top, a pivoted lever in the housing,'ic1osure member at one end of the lever, normally closingthe aperture in the end offlthe housing, a bait receptacle at the otherend of the levernormallypositioned beneath the aperture in the top and means for lockin the closure member andreceptacle in norma position. i

; 9. A trapof theclase described including a.

5 position of the housing.

housing, a pivotally mounted bait receptacle otally mounted bait receptacle inoperatively therein, and means for locking said receptacle positioned beneath said aperture, a plate de- 10 against movement to prevent displacement of pending from one of said flanges at one side movable contents therein regardless of the of the receptacle and means for locking said receptacle in its inoperative position. 10. A trap including a housing having an In testimony whereof, I have hereunto aperture in the top Wall thereof, flanges de signed my name. pending from the sides of said aperture, a piv- AUGUSTINE H. GILKEY. 

